Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

The IUF Asia/Pacific views the Guidelines as an important and unique tool for the promotion of the rights and livelihoods of small-scale fishers and fish workers, the advancement of food security and sustainable fisheries.

The Guidelines were explained and discussed in a series of workshops with our members in coastal fishing communities and aquaculture in certain countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia. It should be noted that none of our members were aware of the Guidelines at the time, but through our education activities quickly understand the practical importance and potential uses of the Guidelines. During these activities, we identified areas that need to be reviewed and strengthened in the Guidelines.

In the attached submission we propose that Guidelines should be strengthened in three key areas:

1. Recognition of the right to freedom of association (the right to freely organize)
2. Fully realizing the rights and role of women fishers and fish workers
3. More effective measures for the elimination of child labour

In  addition there are brief comments and observations on three additional topic

1. Enhancing the response to climate change
2. A rights-based approach to health and safety
3. Tackling the impact of large-scale commercial fishing

Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication in Pakistan

A nation with a sizable coastal population that depends on fisheries for a living must ensure sustainable small-scale fisheries in the context of eradicating poverty and ensuring food security.

Food security is mostly ensured by small-scale fisheries, many of which are run by local communities. But because of overfishing, habitat deterioration, the effects of climate change, and poor management techniques, these fisheries are becoming less and less sustainable.

In summary, maintaining sustainable small-scale fisheries is a complex issue that calls for a diverse strategy that considers ecological, social, and economic factors. The development and implementation of effective policies and initiatives that support the long-term sustainability of small-scale fisheries is therefore dependent upon collaboration between government agencies, local communities, non-governmental organizations, and the corporate sector.

Dear FSN Moderator, 

I attached : 10th anniversary of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) from Case Studies from Tasikmalaya, West Java - Indonesia. 

Regards, 

- Repa Kustipia 

Dear Colleagues,

thanks for the initiative helping to keep attention to the SSF Guidelines and provide a platform to collect the many and diverse experiences over the years since their adoption in 2014.

Please find attached the filled form with a selection of the most significant contributions Mundus maris asbl made over the years to contribute to the dissemination of information and implementation of the SSF Guidelines. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to prompt us.

Kind greetings, Cornelia

Dr. Cornelia E. Nauen

www.mundusmaris.org

SmartFish is a hybrid enterprise based in Mexico that has developed a suite of tools, capacity building and technical support for small-scale fisher groups to access better-paying markets for sustainably caught seafood. We call this the Value Rescue Model and its purpose is to develop the capacities of small-scale fisher organizations to:

1. Improve the quality and value of their products,
2. Strengthen the entrepreneurial capacities of their organization; and
3. Internalize fisheries management measures

By improving quality, processing and freezing their harvests and thereby accessing a different seafood market segment, small-scale fisher organizations are able to transition from price-takers to entrepreneurs. The lessons learned over the past 10 years are documented in the Value Rescue Guidelines shared here.

Value rescue refers to the deliberate harnessing of profits generated from business-related innovations and improvements for the betterment of environmental and social sustainability in small-scale fisheries. The end goal of the value rescue process is to develop fisheries that deliver high-quality, food safety certified seafood that is independently verifiable as environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.

In development and fisheries improvement processes, value adding generally consists of analyzing production and supply chains to identify ways in which additional value can be generated for the same raw material (eg processing seafood that would otherwise be sold whole round). Value rescue extends typical value addition in three ways:

1. Adding and recovering value: beyond simple value addition, VR includes recuperating value that is otherwise lost by improving production (catch, handling processing, cold chain, transport, thereby improving product quality) and business practices (administration, production costs, planning, marketing, logistics, etc).
2. Retaining value: VR includes increasing the proportion of value retained by fishers (through a combination of enterprise development and disintermediation)
3. Incentivizing improvement: additional value added, recovered, and retained is deliberately harnessed to finance improvement of fisheries’ environmental and social performance.

Dear FSN Moderator,



After Greeting,



Below, you can find the application form for the 10th anniversary of

the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale

Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication.



Best regards



Mr. J. Amin

Cukurova University, Faculty of Agriculture, Departments of Animal

Science and Husbandry, Adana. Turkey.

Hi Nicole,

Here is my personal comment from what I can see in Tanzania as far as the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication implementation was concerned.  The SSF Guidelines was well implemented in Tanzania and I think we were the first country in Africa to come up with a National Plan of Action (NPoA).  However, its difficult now to implement the planned activities due to inadequate funds which the Government has.  SSF has to be capacitated in many aspect form education, capital and even the cost of implementation. The aim is to shift them from being small as we term now to big who may manage to go to Deep water fishing at least for tuna and tuna like species from the EEZ for those who can manage.  But how?

There always concentrated to the shore, they are about to finish the stock there, but still fish are available at the EEZ at least in seasonal wise.  How can we help them.  Lets Illuminate this Hidden Harvest and help them to be lighter and lighter financial wise so that they can improve their livelihood.

Dear respected scholars, 

i have want to point out two important issues of this event:

First: Small-scale fishers commonly face challenges in accessing markets and gaining reasonable prices for their catch. Though, by enabling direct connections to markets, enhancing infrastructure, and providing support for value-added activities, their market opportunities can be enhanced. This, allows them to receive higher incomes and make significant contributions to local food systems.

Second: Identifying the key role of women in the small-scale fishing sector and promoting gender equality is vital. Providing equal access to resources, training, and decision-making processes can empower women fishers, advance their livings, and contribute to global poverty eradication.